The End of Year 1 exam was a great opportunity to start developing the skills we will need next summer. The Paper 2, Section A questions on our Television CSPs are unusual and the only way to get better is to practice taking notes, getting the timing right and making sure our answers are focused on the question. We now need to complete a learner response to the exam to ensure we are learning and developing our exam technique. You may find reading the mark scheme useful for reflecting on this exam - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access these documents:
End of Year 1 exam: Learner Response Create a blogpost called 'End of Year 1 exam learner response'.
1) Type up any feedback from your teacher in full (you do not need to write the mark/grade if you do not wish to).
2) Look at the mark scheme document linked above. Question 1.1 asks about mise-en-scene. What do we use to remember mise-en-scene? Give one example answer from the clip too - you'll find example answers in the mark scheme.
3) Question 1.2 asks about narrative features in the extract. Look at the mark scheme to pick out three possible answers for this question.
4) Now focus on Question 2 - the 20 mark essay. Use the mark scheme to pick out one way Doctor Who reflects 1963 and one way His Dark Materials reflects 2020.
5) Reflect on your overall work and exam performance this year. What three things do you need to work on or revise in Media for Year 11?
If you don't finish this LR in the lesson your papers are returned complete for homework - due date on Google Classroom.
Our second Radio CSP is the KISS FM Breakfast show. Remember, our Radio products are targeted CSPs and need to be studied with reference to two elements of the theoretical framework - Audiences and Industries as well as Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts. This means we need to study the way radio audiences and industries have changed over time and what impact this may have on society.
Notes from the lesson: KISS FM Breakfast show You'll find the notes from our lessons on KISS FM below.
Background and history
Kiss FM first broadcast on 7 October 1985 as a pirate radio station, initially to South London then across the whole city. Transmitting seven-days from the start, it would be regularly taken off-air by the authorities and so became a weekend operation shortly afterwards. This means that it has its origins in common with radio in the 1960s (such as Tony Blackburn’s Radio Caroline show) as KISS was originally an illegal station that became legitimate as it grew in popularity. KISS FM is now seen as more mainstream and less controversial and has been operating legally since 1990. In 2007, it was bought by international conglomerate Bauer Media.
The station developed a committed following across London of mostly young people with figures in the press at the time stating that the station attracted some 500,000 listeners while operating as an unlicensed pirate station.
Gordon Mac approached a successful London club promoter, Guy Wingate, to discuss ways of improving the KISS FM profile. As a result, Wingate launched the very successful Kiss nights at the Wag Club where DJs from the station would DJ night club nights. These nights increased the station's reputation as a young person’s music radio station.
KISS FM Breakfast show with Jordan and Perri
KISS has tried to move with the times by engaging on social media with its listeners and by bringing in DJs who they think will appeal to a younger target audience. Jordan and Perri took over the KISS FM Breakfast show in summer 2020 after previous hosts Rickie, Melvin and Charlie left for BBC Radio 1.
KISS FM deliberately chose younger replacements who have a big social media following (Perri has over one million followers on TikTok).
Personal relationships: important for breakfast radio
Applying Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory, a key aspect of the KISS FM Breakfast show is the personal relationship the audience feel they have with the presenters Jordan and Perri. They took over the KISS FM Breakfast show in July 2020 after finding fame as part of the dance group Diversity and also presenting a weekend show on the station. The two are good friends who have worked together for over 10 years and KISS hope that natural chemistry will appeal to their listeners.
Here's just one of the ways KISS FM first introduced their Breakfast show team:
KISS FM deliberately chose breakfast show hosts who are:
Members of a dance troupe called Diversity who appeared on Britain’s Got Talent (watch their first performance below)
Friends in real life and have a natural 'chemistry' which is so important for breakfast radio and connecting with audiences. They are known for their 'banter' and personality.
Connected to political movements such as Black Lives Matter (see clip below)
Diversity - Britain's Got Talent audition:
Diversity - Black Lives Matter:
Active v passive audience
What opportunities are there on KISS FM for audiences to actively engage?
Listeners can send in requests or shout outs to friends via social media platforms (KISS FM are particularly active across Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok).
Audience interaction and involvement is a key aspect to the Breakfast show and Perri has over a million followers on TikTok.
Audiences can download the KISS Kube app to stream shows at a time convenient to them.
KISS runs over 100 events every summer that helps them connect with 300,000+ listeners. They also host an annual Halloween event at Wembley Arena for 11,000 fans.
Industry contexts
KISS is part of Bauer Radio, a subsidiary of the Bauer Media Group (BMG). This multinational cross-media group owns numerous magazine and radio brands but also has interests in digital media, TV streaming and event organisation, mostly linked to its radio and magazine properties. This makes Kiss FM commercial radio - the opposite to the BBC and public service radio.
The KISS Network is made up of KISS, KISSTORY and KISS Fresh alongside recently launched online stations KISS Bliss (chilled out music), KISS Dance and KISS Garage. Each of these targets its own audience within the 15–34 age group with different styles and types of content. All are available on a number of different platforms, but the range is not the same for each of the brands.
All are available on the KISS website and the KISS Kube app, but only KISS is available on FM radio. In contrast, only KISS and KISSTORY can be received on DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting).
KISS listening figures
Like most traditional media brands, KISS FM is struggling to maintain its audience in the digital age. The previous breakfast show hosted by Rickie, Melvin and Charlie had over 2 million listeners but by the time Jordan and Perri took over it was already down to 1.4m. The most recent figures have Jordan and Perri at 980,000 listeners so less than half the 2m figure the KISS FM Breakfast show used to enjoy.
How does KISS FM make money?
Bauer Media Group revenue was 2.2 BILLION euros (see Bauer website here for more details) which demonstrates how much money is made across their many media brands.
KISS FM makes money through advertising, sponsorship and events (such as summer festivals and the Wembley Arena Halloween party). The KISS FM Breakfast show is one of the most popular slots for the radio station so losing around one million listeners over the last few years means Bauer Media cannot make as much money from the KISS brand as it used to. Indeed, Bauer Media Group's revenue is down from 2.3bn euros - in part due to the increasing pressure on traditional media such as magazines and radio.
The changing nature of radio
Young people tend to listen to radio much less as the media landscape is saturated with other products for them to consume (games, apps, numerous TV channels, streaming services, etc). Also, people now expect to consume media products not in a linear fashion (you turn on the radio and hear what’s currently broadcast) but on-demand (streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer). This means Kiss FM is attempting to target an audience of 15-34 year olds who are consuming media in a totally different way compared to radio in the 1960s.
Radio in the 1960s v radio today
There are many differences in the radio industry between the launch of BBC Radio 1 in 1967 and the global online marketplace we see today:
More radio stations broadcasting (There are around 600 licensed radio stations in the country) and thousands of online broadcasters.
Improved quality as radio moved from AM to FM and now to DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting).
Radio stations have become increasingly specialised (look at KISS, KISSTORY and KISS FRESH or rivals Absolute Radio, Absolute 60s, 70s, 80s, etc.)
Many shows are downloadable on-demand (e.g. as podcasts), on a range of devices (e.g. using iPlayer on TV) and streaming-only ‘stations’ (e.g. Spotify ‘stations with no DJs')
Regulation: how is KISS FM regulated?
KISS FM is regulated by Ofcom. This means the KISS FM Breakfast show must follow the Ofcom broadcasting code and not include anything inappropriate for children or younger listeners.
In 2006, KISS was fined a record fee for any UK commercial radio station of £175,000 by media regulator Ofcom. Ofcom punished KISS for "numerous and serious breaches" of broadcasting codes after receiving 10 complaints from April to November 2005. They involved prank calls on the Bam Bam breakfast show where consent was not sought from the victims and controversial material aired when children were likely to be listening. KISS said it accepted the findings and apologised for any offence. You can read more on that case here.
KISS FM Breakfast show CSP: blog tasks
Work through the following questions to complete your final Radio case study on the KISS FM Breakfast show CSP:
Audience
Look at the KISS media pack carefully. This will give you a brilliant background to the brand and how they target their audience (important note: it features the old Breakfast presenting team).
Answer the following questions:
1) Read page 2. What is KISS FM's mission?
2) Look at page 3. What is the target audience for KISS FM? As well as writing the key statistics from the media pack, try and suggest what psychographic groups would fit the KISS audience too. 3) Now look at page 5 - The KISS network. How does KISS use digital media and technology to reach its audience? 4) Now look at the other side of page 5. What content do KISS Fresh and KISSTORY offer and how can audiences access those stations? 5) Read page 6. What are the different ways audiences can actively engage with the KISS radio brand?
6) Are listeners to the KISS Breakfast show active or passive? You can argue this point either way - explain your opinion in your answer. 7) Now think about the clips you've watched or listened to of the KISS FM Breakfast show with Jordan and Perri. What audience pleasures are offered by the KISS FM Breakfast show? Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory here.
8) How have audiences changed in terms of how they listen to music and radio since the 1960s?
9) How does the KISS FM Breakfast show contrast with Tony Blackburn's 1967 Radio 1 Breakfast show and the launch of BBC Radio 1?
10) Use Stuart Hall's Reception theory to offer a preferred and oppositional reading of the KISS FM Breakfast show. For the preferred reading, why do fans love the show? On the oppositional side, why might someone criticise the show or not want to listen?
Industry 1) When did KISS FM first launch and what type of station was it then? 2) Look at the Bauer Media Group's list of brands. How many different types of media can you find on there? What brands do you recognise?
3) How does KISS FM make money?
4) How many listeners does the KISS Breakfast show have and how has this changed in recent years?
5) How is KISS FM regulated and what can happen if they break the rules?
Finally, try this exam question on Radio: How successful have radio stations like KISS FM been in attracting a young audience to traditional radio? Due date on Google Classroom
Our next unit is Radio - a targeted topic that involves looking at the history of radio in the UK. We need to study the key concepts of Industries and Audiences for Radio.
BBC Radio 1 launch 1967 Our first Radio CSP is the launch of BBC Radio 1 in 1967.
Our Radio products are targeted CSPs and need to be studied with reference to two elements of the Audiences and Industries as well as Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts. This means we need to study the way radio audiences and industries have changed over time and what impact this may have on society.
Notes from the lesson: BBC Radio 1 launch The launch of Radio 1 was an event of historical and social significance and an important turning point in the history of radio. You would not normally be aware of this historical period in radio, but it provides a useful point of contrast with modern radio stations that can be online / niche / youth-orientated / available on a number of different platforms. The history of BBC Radio It is key in this unit of work to understand the importance of radio in 1967. Television was not yet universally available and radio was the key entertainment device. The radio provision in the mid-1960s was:
BBC Radio Home (1939-1967) broadcasting education programmes and news. Mainly speech-based. Replaced by Radio 4. BBC Radio Light (1945-1967) broadcasting mainly light entertainment (comedy / drama) and music. Replaced by Radio 2. BBC Third (1946-1970) broadcasting intellectual arts-based talk and music. Replaced by Radio 3.
BBC: funding and reorganisation of radio As you have seen from our work on Doctor Who and His Dark Materials, the BBC is funded through the compulsory licence fee (£159 now; it was around £4 a year in the 1960s). As everybody pays, then everybody should receive content suitable for their needs. Given the growth of pirate radio in the mid-1960s, the BBC realised that it was not providing content for this growth market of younger people. In response, the BBC reorganised and renamed their radio channels. On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 for more 'Easy Listening'. The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays.
Historical context: the 1960s and pirate radio
There were changing attitudes to music and youth culture in the early 1960s. ‘Pop’ music was becoming more popular and attitudes in young people were becoming more relaxed. There was clearly a need for a radio outlet for this music with a less formal presentation style; but there was nothing on the BBC. This led to the growth of ‘pirate’ radio stations who could produce these shows for young people, but were beyond the control of regulators.
Needle time
There were concerns that too much music on the radio would mean that people would no longer buy records, so the Musicians' Union and Phonographic Performance Limited (a music licensing company) restricted the amount of recorded music that could be transmitted by the BBC during the course of any 24-hour period. This was called ‘Needle Time’ and in 1967 meant they could only play five hours of music per day. Pirate stations did not have these restrictions imposed on them because the law was difficult to apply offshore - and so could play more music. They were, therefore, more popular with young people than the BBC.
Radio 1 target audience
The Radio 1 target audience in 1967 was young people who were listening to pirate radio. Today, the BBC Radio 1 target audience is 15-29 year olds but they are struggling to attract these listeners. The median age for a Radio 1 listener is 32 and only 41% of the audience today are aged between 15-29.
BBC Radio 1 launch: successful?
When first launched in 1967, Radio 1 was not as popular as the BBC had hoped. There were a number of reasons why Radio 1 was not a success initially:
It was not seen as ‘cool’ by many young people as the BBC stood for traditional, conservative values.
It struggled financially as there was no increase in the licence fee to pay for this extra radio station.
Whilst Radio 1 tried to copy the pirate radio’s style, it didn’t quite do it effectively initially as it broadcast simultaneously with Radio 2 – so it had to have a more formal style than the pirate broadcasters. Some young people didn’t respond positively to this.
However, the 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act officially outlawed pirate radio stations. The Government had closed the legal loophole that allowed these stations to broadcast and these had a British audience of 10 to 15 million. This meant the audience had to go to Radio 1 if they wanted to listen to popular music.
Many of the pirate station DJs were then employed by BBC Radio 1, thus bringing many of the their loyal listeners with them. Commercial radio didn’t broadcast until 1973 so it had no competition. Radio 1 also developed better content more suitable to the target audience as it became more popular. In the 1970s and 1980s, Radio 1 became the most listened to station in the world with audiences regularly over 10 million.
Radio 1 Launch CSP: blog tasks Work through the following questions to complete your first Radio case study on the launch of BBC Radio 1: Historical, social and cultural contexts 1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967? 2) How was BBC radio reorganised in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched? 3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular? 4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967? 5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down? 6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio? 7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations? 8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC?
9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners? 10) How was Tony Blackburn's radio show more like pirate radio rather than traditional BBC radio content?
Audience and industry 1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967? 2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners? 3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory). 4) How is the BBC funded? 5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional readings have been for BBC Radio 1 in 1967? Grade 8/9 extension tasks Look at this BBC Radio 1 timeline from its launch in 1967 to today. What do you notice has changed in BBC radio over those 50+ years?
Read this Guardian interview with the second DJ to broadcast on BBC Radio 1. How does he describe the 1960s and his move to the BBC? The BBC is a public service broadcaster. What does this mean and why is it an important part of the history of BBC Radio 1? Due date on Google Classroom
We have now completed our work on Television - our first in-depth topic and one guaranteed to come up in Media Paper 2.
We now now need to create an index to make sure we have completed all the blog work for this topic. Every index you create is an excellent way to make sure you are revising the course as we go - as well as highlighting if you've missed anything. Your index should include the following:
For your index, the text should link to YOUR blogpost for that topic so you can access your work quickly and easily for checking and revision. This also means if you have missed anything you can catch up with the work and notes and won't underperform in assessments and exams due to gaps in your knowledge.
Assessment revision
You will have an assessment on the Television topic as your end of Year 10 exam. This will be an assessment based on the real Paper 2 Section A to help prepare for this aspect of the final exams. You'll need to revise everything you've learned for Television across the four key concepts - Language, Representations, Audience and Industries.
The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is a vital part of our media landscape.
It is a public service broadcaster which means we own it. It doesn't make a profit and exists to produce high-quality media for the British public. It's paid for by the TV licence and produces a huge amount of content for the whole of Britain - TV, radio, BBC website, iPlayer and more. The BBC still follows its original mission statement from 1927:
Inform, Educate and Entertain
The licence fee is currently £174.50 a year and must be paid by any household that wants to watch live broadcast TV or iPlayer. You don't need a TV licence to watch Netflix or other international streaming services.
BBC: Industry notes
The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is a public service organisation and the oldest national broadcaster and the biggest in terms of employees [over 20,000]. It is different from other TV broadcasters in that funding comes from us all as BBC licence fee payers whereas other channels rely on advertising and sponsorship. The BBC has 3 key purposes: To Inform, Educate & Entertain. This means:
To provide information (that is supposed to be balanced)
To support learning for people of all ages
To produce creative output
To have diverse content (such as with its representations)
To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world
BBC regulation
TV is regulated in the UK to ensure that rules are followed and inappropriate content is not broadcast to audiences.
The BBC is regulated by OfCOM (the Office of Communications). OfCOM oversees all media channels and produces a code of conduct that all media channels must follow or have their licence to make content removed and/or be fined heavily. This includes what can be shown before the 9pm watershed and various other quality standards.
Although OfCOM is instructed by government, it is independent which means the BBC can remain impartial and does not simply broadcast what the government tells it to.
Complete the following questions on the BBC and industry contexts using the notes above the article you have read:
1) What is the BBC's mission statement?
2) How is the BBC funded?
3) What must the BBC do to meet its public service broadcasting responsibilities? (Look at the five bullet points in the notes above).
4) Who is the regulator for TV and Radio in the UK? You can find details on this in the notes above.
5) How is TV and Radio regulated by Ofcom?
6) How do Doctor Who and His Dark Materials help the BBC to meet the BBC's remit to inform, educate and entertain? Answer this question in at least 150 words.
There are some important contexts we need to learn for the Industry and Audience key concepts for His Dark Materials.
His Dark Materials is an example of contemporary family/fantasy TV drama. The series is based on the
trilogy of books of the same name by Philip Pullman. The second series is based on the book
The Subtle Knife.
Industries
The CSP episode is the opening episode of Season 2, The City of Magpies, and was first broadcast in the UK on Sunday 8 November 2020 on BBC1 at 8.10pm. It was made available on iPlayer on the same
day, and on DVD from 28 December 2020.
It is significant because it was co-commissioned for an international audience by the BBC and the
American television network HBO, and was always intended to be distributed on a number of
platforms: as a scheduled, broadcast programme (BBC1), on cable (HBO), as well as on demand
(iPlayer) and on DVD. It was created for these platforms by an independent company, Bad Wolf.
The first episode of the first series of His Dark Materials series was watched by audiences of 7.2 million in the UK and 423,000 on HBO. The first broadcasts of the CSP episode had audiences of 4.4 million on BBC1 and 227,000 on HBO.
Industry terminology: GLoW
Some of the key terminology for studying the Industries contexts for His Dark Materials:
Co-production: a media product produced by two separate companies or institutions. His Dark Materials is a big-budget co-production between the BBC (from the UK) and HBO (from America).
Brand Identity: how a business presents itself and wants to be perceived by the consumer.
His Dark Materials marketing and promotion As His Dark Materials was aimed at an international audience, the show features both British and American star names such as Brits Ruth Wilson and James McAvoy and American Lin-Manuel Miranda who wrote the smash hit musical Hamilton.
There were a range of videos and promotional events designed to create a buzz around the new season of His Dark Materials:
His Dark Materials Season 1 recap
His Dark Materials Comic-Con panel:
Bad Wolf: outstanding TV drama production company based in Wales
Bad Wolf was founded in 2015 to create ambitious, imaginative and relevant drama for the global TV marketplace. From its headquarters in South Wales the company has built up an international reputation as one of the foremost independent production companies in the UK, producing over 50 hours of high-end drama for broadcasters and networks including HBO, BBC, AMC and Sky.
HBO is an American pay-TV company that is known for producing some of the greatest TV shows of all time from The Sopranos to The Wire to Succession. As a co-commission with the BBC, His Dark Materials had two hugely respected media giants behind it - and in HBO's case a huge amount of money. HBO has over 40 million subscribers and brings in around $7 BILLION in subscription revenue each year. To put this into perspective, the whole BBC budget (for everything - TV, radio, website, iPlayer etc.) is around £5 billion of which around £3.5 billion comes from the licence fee).
HBO - Changing an industry:
Audience
His Dark Materials was pitched by the BBC as a family drama. Target audience
Aimed at a contemporary family audience for the BBC Sunday night broadcast slot (8.10pm)
Targeted at fans of the fantasy genre along with fans of the original books by Philip Pullman.
Diverse representations of gender and race may appeal to a younger audience.
Rated for 14+ by HBO due to some scenes that may be frightening to younger children.
The UK DVD release of His Dark Materials season 2 is rated 12 by the BBFC.
The way audiences watch TV has changed
His Dark Materials provides an opportunity to study the contemporary television industry and audiences. The series was created at a time when the BBC’s role and finances were under question, and when on-demand streaming through sources such as Netflix and Amazon Prime had become normalised. These latter companies were creating big-budget series to attract and satisfy more subscribers. His Dark Materials was rumoured to be the BBC’s most expensive series to date, with HBO sharing the costs and guaranteeing an international audience. This helps the BBC to compete with their streaming rivals like Netflix.
Fans - the fandom reaction Watch this fan reaction video to His Dark Materials Season 2 trailer from TV fan YouTube channel Sesskasays:
His Dark Materials: Audience and Industries blog tasks
Create a new blogpost called 'His Dark Materials: Audience and Industries blog tasks' and answer the following questions:
Audience
1) What audience do you think His Dark Materials is aimed at and why? Think about demographic and psychographic groups. You can revise Pyschographics here. 2) What audience pleasures are offered by His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.
Personal Identity:
Personal Relationships:
Diversion (Escapism):
3) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to His Dark Materials? Refer to specific scenes or moments in the episode to explain your answer.
4) How did fans react to Season 2 of His Dark Materials? What about critic reviews? You can find some possible answers for this in this BBC website article on the critical reception for His Dark Materials and watch the fan reaction video above. 5) What might be some of the preferred and oppositional readings for His Dark Materials? Why did some fans love it? Why have other people criticised it?
Industries
1) Which companies produced this His Dark Materials series?
2) What were the UK viewing figures for A City of Magpies? How did this compare to season 1 of His Dark Materials?
3) What was American network HBO's role in making His Dark Materials and why is this important? Look at the notes above for more on this.
4) What famous stars are in His Dark Materials and why do you think they were selected for the show? Watch the Comic Con panel video in the notes above to see the stars talking about the show.
5) Who are Bad Wolf and what do they produce?
Comparison: Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child and His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies
1) How are the technical conventions different between 1963 Doctor Who and 2020 His Dark Materials (e.g. camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene)? 2) What similarities and differences are there between Doctor Who and His Dark Materials in terms of genre and narrative? 3) How are representations of people, places and groups similar or different in the two shows? Grade 8/9 extension tasks and reading
Your End of Year 10 Media exam is a great opportunity to practice exam skills and work out what progress you need to make next year to reach your targets.
Your exam will be a mini-version of the real Paper 2 exam you'll do next summer. Your exact date will depend on the timetable and when you have your Media lessons in the week of options exams - your teacher will be able to tell you when the exam will run.
Below is a full guide to what you need to revise for Paper 2:
Paper 2
Paper 2 Section A is Television - our first in-depth topic.
Section A: Television
Short extract from either Doctor Who – An Unearthly Child (1963) or His Dark Materials – The City of Magpies (2020). Google Drive folder with CSP videos here for revision or you can watch on iPlayer.
The extract will be shown twice and you can make notes. There will then be three questions on the extract (2 marks, 8 marks, 12 marks).
The final question is a 20-mark essay on BOTH of your TV Close-Study Products.
Your real Paper 2 will also have a Section B with two 20-mark essays on either Newspapers, Videogames or Online, Social and Participatory Media. However, these will not appear in your end of year exam as we have not studied them yet.
Paper 1 assessment?
You will have a half-sized version of Paper 1 as your September assessment in Year 11. More details on that nearer the time!
How to revise
Revision is a very personal thing and everyone has different techniques. Personally, I strongly recommend using flash cards (they are often called record cards if you are trying to buy them online or in WHSmiths). The simple act of distilling topics into a few key words or phrases to put on the card will seriously help in remembering the key information in the final exams. I always have flash cards in DF07 if you'd like some - just pop in and ask! Aim to create flash cards in three key areas:
Media terminology
Media theories
CSPs
Good luck with your revision and give the exam your best shot!
Our second television Close-Study Product is BBC and HBO co-production His Dark Materials from 2020. The CSP episode is Season 2, Episode 1 but don't worry if you haven't seen the first series - there are plenty of clips online to learn the background to the storyline.
Remember, TV is an in-depth study which means we need to analyse the products in terms of media language, industries, audience and representation. Television will be examined in Paper 2 with a short clip to analyse - either from Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child or His Dark Materials. Notes from the lessons: His Dark Materials
Language
Reminder - TV drama conventions:
Dramatic narrative, usually linear (with continuity across episodes.) This is called narrative arc.
Ensemble cast (a range of characters with own storylines). Sometimes an episode will focus more on one character than another.
Specific technical codes e.g. realistic lighting and editing for dramas set in the present day to keep it gritty.
Use of stereotypical characters to get messages across quickly.
Common use of flashback, point of view shots, dialogue and voice over, enigma and action codes throughout.
Hybridity: Two genres or media types combined e.g. Stranger Things is a science fiction / horror television drama.
Multi-strand: when a narrative is made up of lots of different storylines.
Fantasy TV genre codes and conventions
Emotive, often quest-based narratives
Political narrative themes or social commentary
Iconography including magic, mystical creatures or similar
Often set in imagined worlds or time periods
In addition, the following often apply to fantasy TV series:
Younger target audience or family audience
Dedicated fanbase; fandom groups and online communities
His Dark Materials is a fantasy drama television series based on the novel series of the same name by Philip Pullman. It is produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Productions for BBC One and HBO, with HBO handling international distribution.
Plot summary
His Dark Materials is set in a multi-world reality, with the action moving from one world to another. The series is based on Philip Pullman's trilogy of the same name. It begins in an alternative world where all humans' souls manifest as animal companions called daemons. The series follows the life of a young girl named Lyra who is an orphan living with the scholars at Jordan College, Oxford, in a world governed by the Magisterium, a religious and political body. Lyra discovers a dangerous secret that involves Lord Asriel and Marisa Coulter, and is the subject of a witches prophecy that she will change the world. In her search for a missing friend, Lyra also uncovers a series of kidnappings and its link to a mysterious substance called Dust, which leads her on a journey of epic proportions and ultimately to other worlds. The witches' prophecy also links Lyra's destiny to Will, a teenager from our world, who is himself being pursued by mysterious figures connected to his vanished father.
The show is a fantasy television series based on fantasy novels. It was produced by BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation - same company who made Doctor Who) and HBO (American company). It is set in a multi-world reality with action moving between worlds. Lyra, the main character, has grown up an orphan who discovers that there is a prophecy that foretells that she will change the world. Will is a fugitive (runaway) from ‘our world’ where he killed someone in self-defence. They meet in a third world called Cittagazze which is run down and neglected. They learn from some kids there that all the adults (and kids when they come of age) are hunted and drained of their energy and basically changed into zombies by evil black clouds called ‘Spectres’. Meanwhile, an evil villain called Mrs Coulter is on board a ship with the Magisterium (male Priests in authority roles - like politicians.) She tortures a witch for information regarding Lyra and mysterious ‘dust’ but the witch is put out of her misery by her fellow witch Ruta Skardi who sets her free by killing her to stop the pain. Skardi also seriously injures the head of the Magisterium and Mrs Coulter offers a deal to his deputy: in exchange for more power and freedom, she will kill the head priest and say he died of his injuries from the witch.
Magisterium: the authority group of male priests (religious men) from Lyra’s world. It is a patriarchal society (ruled by men).
Daemon: the name given to the shape-shifting animal that is part of your soul (in Lyra’s world). Everyone has one in her world.
Lyra Silvertongue: protagonist (main character, hero) who is on the run from her world due to being hunted. She is the subject of a prophecy (fortune) that says she will change the world.
Dust: magic particles that open portals to other worlds. Some people believe they represent sin.
Will Parry: a human child from ‘our world’ who has never seen a daemon before.
Mrs Coulter: an evil villain who wants to find Lyra and control the world. She tortures a witch nearly to death and then she prepares to kill the head of the Magisterium so she can gain more control.
Ruta Skardi: the witch who, when her fellow witches did not take action, saved the prisoner witch by killing her and attacked the members of the magisterium on her own, escaping afterwards.
Città gazze: the name of the city in the third world where Will and Lyra meet.
Alethiometer: the gadget that looks like a clock which Lyra consults and it gives her ‘truth’ - answers to her questions.
Narrative: multi-strand narrative
There are a number of narrative strands running through this episode. They include:
Lyra and Will explore a new world and the city of Città gazze.
Mrs Coulter tries to find answers for the Magisterium then offers power to Father MacPhail by letting the head of the Magisterium die.
Lyra and Will meet abandoned children in the city of Città gazze and find that the adults have all left due to the Spectres stealing their souls.
Lee Scoresby goes on a mission for an object that can protect Lyra. The council of witches supports his plan.
Representations
His Dark Materials - Subverting stereotypes Men and women
Many characters in this episode of His Dark Materials subvert stereotypes. Lyra is a strong, independent female character who doesn't need or want help from anyone on her dangerous quest across different worlds. She can't cook, isn't bothered by her appearance and takes what she wants. Mrs Coulter also subverts female stereotypes as a cold hearted villain. She is actually Lyra's mother but displays none of the maternal stereotypes the media usually presents as typically female.
Meanwhile, Will subverts male or masculine stereotypes. He is kind, welcoming and wants to help Lyra. He cooks her food and makes up beds for them to sleep in. Not all characters subvert stereotypes though - Lee Scoresby is in many ways a classic masculine man on a mission to help Lyra.
Race, ethnicity and social class
The actors in His Dark Materials are from a range of ethnic and social class backgrounds and the character of Will subverts stereotypes of race and ethnicity as well as gender. However, some stereotypes are reinforced - the abandoned children in Città gazze are presented as working class in a very stereotypical way.
Age
Most of the main characters in this series and episode are children and they are shown not to need adults or help from older people. The abandoned children of Città gazze also demonstrate they can live without adults - which subverts typical stereotypes. Mrs Coulter also shows how stereotypes are subverted as a parent who does not care for her child.
His Dark Materials: Language and Representation blog tasks Create a new blogpost called 'His Dark Materials: Language and Representation blog tasks' and work through the following tasks: Language and close-textual analysis 1) Write an analysis of the episode - using your notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed reference to moments in the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots and movement, editing, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
2) How does His Dark Materials fit the conventions of the fantasy TV genre?
3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do some of the main characters in His Dark Materials fit into? 4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in His Dark Materials? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.) 5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in His Dark Materials? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience? You can find reminder notes on all these narrative theories here - just scroll down to narrative. Representations 1) How are women represented in His Dark Materials? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted? Think about Lyra and Mrs Coulter here. 2) How are men and masculinity represented in His Dark Materials? Think about Will and Lee Scoresby here.
3) How is age (e.g. teenagers; adults) represented in His Dark Materials? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people? Think about Lyra and Will plus the abandoned children they meet. Also think about Mrs Coulter and other adults. 4) How is race and ethnicity represented in His Dark Materials? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
5) What representations of the world can you find in the episode - is it like real life? A fantasy world? Something from the past or future? Give examples from the episode.
Think about how politicians, religion and people with power are represented in the episode. For example, how are the Magisterium shown in this episode? This is a higher-level reading of His Dark Materials.
